Teams play again Sunday in Summerside

Jacob Conrad of the Amherst CIBC Wood Gundy Ramblers carries the puck by Patrick Volpe of the Summerside Western Capitals in Maritime Junior Hockey League action on Saturday. Summerside won the game 4-3.

AMHERST – Danny Chiasson’s goal on a tic-tac-toe passing play with six minutes to play proved to be the winner as the Summerside Western Capitals nipped the Amherst CIBC Wood Gundy Ramblers 4-3 in Maritime Junior Hockey League action on Saturday.

After Thomas Stavert broke a 2-2 tie just 1:11 into the third period, Chiasson, J.P. Harvey and Mitchell Maynard broke into the Ramblers end with Chiasson converting on a pass from Mayard to give Summerside a two-goal cushion.

“We knew it was going to be tough game and they came at us really hard,” Capitals coach Billy McGuigan said following the game. “They were playing for the lives and played a great game. This is a hard place to win hockey games, but we stayed focused and came out with the win.”

Amherst pulled back to within a goal with just over five minutes to play when Kody Orr tipped a shot from the point by Summerside goalie Kevin Bailie with Brett Shute and Patrick Harrison adding assists.

The Ramblers thought they scored the tying goal moments later, but referee Kevin Arsenault blew the whistle before the puck cross the goal line during a wild scramble.

Summerside opened the scoring late in the first period when Harvey was left untouched to the side of Ramblers’ goalie Richard Tingley and scored a power play goal at the 17:49 mark with Chiasson and Colton Parsons adding assists.

Chiasson, with his first of two, extended the lead to 2-0 with eight seconds to play in the period with Patrick Volpe adding an assist.

Amherst got on the board 2:41 into the second when Willie MacDonald scored on the power play from Ben Berisha and Mitchell O’Neill, while Berisha tied the game at 14:17 converting on a pass from Maxime Richard and slipping the puck by Bailie. Harrison added an assist.

The game was rough at times with Ramblers’ forward Robert Davis getting a major penalty for a hit on Caps’ defenceman and Springhill native Wes Herrett. Davis and Volpe then received fighting majors with the Rambler forward getting a double game misconduct.

MacKenzie Braid of the Caps and Cam McDonald of the Ramblers both received fighting majors and game misconducts later in the second period.

Ramblers’ coach Jim Bottomley was pleased with how his players battled through what he thought was some inconsistent officiating.

“There were some questionable calls. It was so inconsistent,” Bottomley said. “They got a couple of cheap goals early on, but we battled back and didn’t quit. I thought the game changed after the first 10 minutes of the first period and we took it to them.”

Jacob Conrad of the Amherst CIBC Wood Gundy Ramblers carries the puck by Patrick Volpe of the Summerside Western Capitals in Maritime Junior Hockey League action on Saturday. Summerside won the game 4-3.

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bruce martin

March 09, 2013 - 07:09

as a fan i wish they had 2 fights a game in the 90's .people went out to see the coaches as much as the players because they brought it every night.hockey wasn't all system type like it is now and the passion was there every night not just in the playoffs.
when the ramblers honored bill reily it reminded me of coaches like him forbie and jamie kennedy dan flynn gerard gallant and botttomly to name a few.these guys went over the edge a few times but you knew you were in for some passion and entertainment which it is all about.

The Ramblers will have to be more disciplined if they wish to go deep into the playoofs. In two recent games top defenceman Cam MacDonald received game misconducts in the 2nd period and in each case the Ramblers lost in the 3rd period. The Ramblers are on par with Truro and Yarmouth and are a good match for Summerside providing good discipline happens. Time to remove the chip from the shoulder and stay in the game.

iagree with dawg. you cant have your top skilled players fighting in the playoffs. its time for jimbo to cut out the fights and focus on the game. i also realize sometimes it is going to happen and may need to happen but playoffs are a differant story.these things have to be timely and with the right players.the ramblers have some toughness but they have to play smart.some of thier tough players are also skilled.if they play thier cards right they may win the whole thing.lets go rams best team in a long time.